There are many types of leave available for the permanent full time Technician.

Annual Leave

Permanent employees of the Federal government are eligible for authorized absences from work WITHOUT loss of pay for vacations, maternity, annual training, family emergencies, and personal situations. Technicians accrue annual leave as follows:

Employee Type

Less than 3 years of service*

3 years but less than 15 years of service*

15 or more years of service*

Full-time employees

½ day (4 hours) for each pay period

¾ day (6 hours) for each pay period, except 1¼ day (10 hours) in last pay period

Technicians may not carry over more than 240 hours of Annual Leave to the next fiscal year.

Temporary Technicians

Temporary Technicians will not accrue annual leave until your appointment is extended beyond 90 days. Advanced leave can be given under certain circumstances, which is leave you have not actually earned yet (However this must be approved through supervisor to HRO). This type of leave can be advanced only up to the amount you can be expected to accrue by the end of the fiscal year or your contract allows.

Sick Leave

Technicians also accrual 4 hours of Sick Leave per pay period, and there are no limitations on how much sick leave can be accrued. Sick leave may be used for medical and dental appointments/treatments, unable to perform work duties from physical or mental illness, injury, pregnancy or childbirth. Up to 104 hours of sick leave per fiscal year may also be used for any activity related to adoption of a child, or to care for an ill family member (please contact HRO and speak to your supervisor concerning using sick leave to care for a family member).

Family Medical Leave Act or FMLA

Technicians who have completed at least 1 year as either a permanent or indefinite employee are entitled to provisions under the Family Medical Leave Act or FMLA. This Act allows technicians to use up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12 month period for the birth and care of a child; making arrangements for adoption or foster care; the care of a spouse, son, daughter or parent with a serious health condition; or a serious health condition that makes the technician unable to perform the essential function of his or her position. Requests for leave under the FMLA must be submitted to the employee’s supervisor with medical documentation not less than 30 days before leave is to begin or as soon as is practicable. Appropriate paid leave may be substituted for LWOP.

Leave Transfer Program or Donated Leave

Technicians can donate annual leave to other technicians who are seriously ill or have family members who are seriously ill. Leave recipient applicants must exhaust all accrued leave to be eligible for the leave transfer program. Technicians may not transfer sick leave. If you wish to donate leave or apply to become a leave recipient, contact your supervisor or HRO.

Bone Marrow Donor

Technicians are entitled to 7 work-days of paid leave each calendar year to serve as a Bone Marrow Donor. Organ donors are authorized 30 work-days. This leave is recorded as an excused absence.

Military Leave

Military Leave is authorized for permanent and indefinite technicians. Eligible technicians are authorized 120 hours of Military Leave each fiscal year for the purpose of active duty, active duty for training, or Inactive Duty Training (IDT). Technicians may carry 120 hours of military leave from one fiscal year to the next; however the balance of their military leave cannot exceed 240 hours.

Temporary employees are not authorized military leave.

22-Day Leave

Eligible technicians are authorized up to 176 hours of leave each calendar year for the purpose of providing military aid to enforce the law or for the purpose of providing assistance to civil authorities in the protection or saving of life or property or the prevention of injury. This provision may also be used for when mobilized under contingency orders. This is NOT a dual compensation benefit. You will receive the greater of your Civilian or Military pay. The appropriate pay section will accomplish collection of the lesser amount.

44-Day Leave

Technicians are authorized 352 hours of military leave in a calendar year for employees participating in operations outside the United States and its territories. Technicians are placed on active duty orders without pay and receive a retirement point for each day on active duty. The technician continues to receive his/her technician salary.

Leave Without Pay or LWOP

Based upon a written request, you may, at the discretion of the supervisor, be granted approved absence from duty without pay. Leave Without Pay or LWOPmay be approved for such purposes as pursuing training beneficial to the agency, recovering from illness or disability, or sustaining your technician status and benefits pending actions of disability retirement or injury compensation claims. LWOP may be granted whether or not you have annual or sick leave to your credit. LWOP in excess of 30 days must be approved by the Human Resources Office and will be granted only in special circumstances.

Court Leave

Court Leave is the authorized absence of a technician from work status for jury duty or for attending judicial proceedings in a non-official capacity as a witness on behalf of a state or local government. If the witness serves in a non-official capacity on behalf of a private party, the technician must be in an appropriate leave status.

Excused Absence

An Excused Absence is absence from duty, administratively approved, without loss of pay and without charge to leave. This absence may be granted in limited circumstances which are directly related to the mission of the National Guard, enhance professional development, or involve activities officially sanctioned by the National Guard. Examples include voting, blood donation (NTE 4 hours), and certain conferences and conventions.

Presidential Leave

If you were activated for military service in connection with Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or any other military operations subsequently established under Executive order 13223, then you are entitled to 5 work days of excused absence without charge to leave.

For any further questions on these matters, please feel free to contact the Human Resources Office.